Doug the ugly potato could be world’s biggest

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Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. kneel down / nil daʊn / (phrasal v.) – to bend one’s legs so that the knees would touch the floor/ground
    Example:

    The people in the church knelt down to pray.


  2. pry out / praɪ aʊt / (phrasal v.) – to move or lift something from another thing with force, especially by pressing a tool on a fixed point
    Example:

    The treasure hunters pried out a large wooden box from under the ground.


  3. lug / lʌg / (v.) – to carry or pull a heavy object to another place with difficulty
    Example:

    They were lugging the suitcases from the first floor to the third floor because the elevator broke.


  4. something of a (something) / ˈsʌmˌθɪŋ əv ə / (idiom) – describing someone/something that has qualities similar or related to a certain kind of person, thing, etc.
    Example:

    Peter is something of a plant expert. You can ask him almost anything about gardening.


  5. tow (something) around / toʊ əˈraʊnd / (phrasal v.) – to pull something behind by attaching it to a rope, chain, etc.
    Example:

    The cart makes it easier for the librarian to tow books around in the library.


Article

Read the text below.

Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were weeding their garden in New Zealand when Colin’s hoe struck something huge just beneath the soil’s surface.


As the couple knelt down and began digging around the object, Colin wondered if it was a giant white kumara, or sweet potato. After Colin pried it out with his garden fork, he scratched away a bit of the skin and tasted it.


A potato.


“We couldn’t believe it,” Donna said. “It was just huge.”


And not exactly pretty. Donna describes its appearance as more of an ugly, mutant look.


But it’s quite possibly the largest potato on record. When the couple lugged it into their garage and put it on their set of old scales, it weighed in at a remarkable 7.9 kilograms. That’s equal to a couple of sacks of regular potatoes, or one small dog. The current Guinness World Record-holding potato weighed 4.98 kg in 2011.


Since their unusual find on Aug. 30, the couple’s potato has become something of a celebrity around their small farm near Hamilton. They’ve named the potato Doug, after the way it was unearthed, and Colin even built a small cart to tow Doug around. (AP)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Colin and Donna Craig-Brown own what could be the world’s largest potato. How would you feel if you were the one who dug it out (ex. proud, happy)? What do you think Collin and Donna should do next with the potato (ex. put it on display, cook it)? Why? Discuss.
  • Doug the potato could be the world’s largest potato. But despite being the largest, it has an ugly, mutant look. Do you think it’s safe to eat crops with a mutant look? Why or why not? What do you think farmers should do with them (ex. still sell them, offer them at a discount)? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The couple, who used to plant potatoes, thought that they must have left a potato several years ago and it continued to grow over the years. Do you think they should try to grow another potato that big? Should farmers or researchers try to grow bigger types of plants for consumption? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Doug the potato could be the world’s largest potato, making it something of a celebrity, as it could qualify for a world record. If you were to plant something, what would it be? Which would you rather do: plant something unique that can qualify for a world record, or plant something that you can eat every day? Why? Discuss.